It is preferable to provide a mechanism to activate the flash control circuit of a camera well in advance of the actual operation of the shutter release to allow sufficient time to charge the flash capacitor of the flash control circuit, thereby avoiding situations where the camera operator must wait for charging to be completed prior to taking an exposure. An ideal time to activate the flash control circuit is when the lens cover of the camera is first opened, which is generally several seconds in advance of the need for an exposure operation. Accordingly, a switch can be provided that is activated by the lens cover to activate the charger circuit. However, the switch must have a high current capability and must preferably be of simple design to minimize the overall expense of the camera. Further, in view of the increasing need to reduce the overall size of the camera, the switch should be of compact design.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a switch of simple and compact design that has a current capability sufficient to enable use in a flash control circuit of a camera.